News from
Fall Issue
A Message from
our President . . .
Dear AAPL Artists Members:
The 88th Grand National Exhibition is just around the
corner. Have you selected your entry?
I am looking forward to seeing you. We will have a
new poet laureate, and we will be displaying your donated 8x8 pieces.
This year we are venturing again into new territory.
We will be publishing our first online e-newsletter. The
format will allow you to print a copy, if you desire.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to
all our members and benefactors for their support, inspiration, and generosity. I would also like to thank our
volunteer Board of Directors for their work in keeping
our organization on message.
Our first theme show this year was the Landscape,
Seascape, and Streetscape Show. This was an extremely
strong show, and your commentary was productive for
all our members toward reaching the didactic goals of
the show.
The second show this year was a hanging show at the
Ridgewood Art Institute. Your participation was greatly appreciated. We had a grand time, and the Prosecco
was chilled.
Our third show - Portraiture, Figurative, and Animal was the most difficult to judge. The quality and depth
of all the entries was exceptional. Your participation
in the commentary is getting better after each show.
The Board and I were honored to be associated with
the professional genius of the AAPL’s members. Thank
You.
the Palette . . .
September 2016
I would like to take a moment to reiterate your club’s
value and purpose. Our headquarters are in the capital of the art world, New York City. You have the
opportunity to display your work in a national venue
at the Grand National Exhibition held at the Salmagundi Club, and you also have the opportunity to be
entered into our national catalog that will be printed
and archived for online access for eternity. All this
without the burden of being part of a limited access
commercial gallery or the expense of advertising in
publications such as the American Art Review, Fine
Art Connoisseur, etc. The benefits to you far outweigh
the nominal expense of membership.
I would like to share one aspect of our membership
that concerns me. Many of our senior members are
retiring from art because of age or health. How can we
encourage them to participate in some aspect of our
organization? Our members with the status of Fellow, Fellow Maxima Cum Laude, or Signature are all
national and respected fine artists. They set the bar and
are the inspiration for our next generation of artists.
Member participation has seen the growth of our
members with the status of Student, Associate, and
Elected Artists. We all learn something every time we
start a new piece. Art is a teachable craft, but what cannot be taught is the sensation and perception of beauty.
There is a mystical, religious, transcendental quality
called visual enlightenment, visual truth, or art spirit.
When we see an art master’s work, we experience the
beauty of the artist becoming one with the whole.
Please continue to share your years of experience with your
fellow artist members. Try to critique our shows, and show
your work in our Members Gallery. Use our Facebook page
or contribute to our newsletter. To answer some recent submitted emails questions:
1.We are working on a new responsive website to
accommodate the cell phones and tablets.
2.Yes, we have a Members Gallery. Just login to your
membership account and click Members Gallery. You may
place up to ten pieces of your work online at no charge.
3. There are new criteria under membership
types.
Signature Member: You will have the honor of placing
AAPL after your name on any your works. This honor
status is available only to Fellow Maxima Cum Laude
members. The criterion is to be the winner of a national award, two Frank C. Wright Memorial Grand
National AAPL awards, or the equivalent (such as a
Newington Award, Alden Bryan, or Art Spirit). Submit a one page essay “Why I should be honored the
title of Signature Member”. The Signature Membership
category requires a unanimous vote of approval by the
National Board of Directors and/or appointed judges.
4. We plan to have a PleinAir theme show early
next year.
In the past year we have had inquiries from Asia
wishing to participate and join American Artists
Professional League. They have told us of many art
institutes and studios teaching and promoting western
(American) art techniques. The Chinese, in particular,
are fascinated with past American Artists Professional
League members.
We checked our by-laws and found that we may accept
artists whose work promotes and advances the cause
of American art in the style from traditional representational to traditional realism. We therefore, have
opened a new chartered chapter, The Chinese International Chapter, and a new member status “International Chapter Member” (ICM). The China Chapter
will be chaired by our Board Member, Weiqing Yuan.
We will monitor the success of this new venture and, if
successful, we can explore a future European Chapter.
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and
poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” Leonardo da Vinci
Just a reminder - we need the 88th Grand National
Exhibition Poet Laurate. Your poem will be read at our
88th Grand National Exhibition reception. Painting,
sculpture, music, dance, and poetry are all artistic. This
year we will have 300 pieces of “silent poetry” hanging
and on pedestals in the gallery. We just need one piece
of art that can be heard. Please consider submitting a
poem, art-related, to be chosen and read at our reception and put into our Grand National Exhibition
catalog. All forms are welcome - sonnet, haiku, abecedarian (Dr. Seuss), etc. Any meter – anapest, dactyl,
elegiac, iambic, trochee, spondee, hip-hop, rap etc. is
acceptable.
As president of this prestigious, national, and now
international organization, it is my duty to remind
you that we do not have enough income to continue
to survive based on our endowment interest. Expenses
exceed income, so it is up to you to support this national treasure. Below is one suggestion:
More than ever before, government funding and grant
money for Arts programs and organizations like ours
is almost non-existent. We must rely almost totally on
the donations of our members for funding. If you have
benefitted from your association with The American
Artists Professional League, perhaps now is the time to
consider a donation that can make a huge impact on
future programs and educational scholarships.
As a proven supporter of the arts and probably an
artist yourself, I would like to present an option to you
when considering funding your annual charitable contributions. Current tax legislation permits you to transfer assets from your IRA to qualified charities, such
as the American Artists Professional League, without
increasing your taxable income for the year.
• The donor must be 70 years or older.
• Gifts can be of any size up to a maximum
gift per donor to all qualified charities combined of
$100,000.
• Distributions of IRA Charitable Rollover
Gifts can apply toward satisfying one’s minimum agerelated distribution requirements.
• The American Artists Fund is a 501c3
non-profit entity “qualified” to receive IRA Rollover
gifts.
• To make an IRA Charitable Rollover Gift to
American Artists Fund, have your IRA administrator
make the gift on your behalf to: American Artists
Fund, EIN 13-6161153. Note: donor should not take
delivery of the IRA assets, but have the administrator
of the IRA send the gift directly to the charity.
Please note that the information in this memo is provided as an educational service and is not intended as
legal or tax advice.
There is still time for your 2016 gift to make a big impact for us in 2017.
Many thanks!
BREAKING NEWS
Michael Bignell, MD received Second Place at the
Baltimore Watercolor Society Exhibit for Signature
Members for his painting “After Yesterday: Elite Coach
in Odessa, DE” in August.
The juror’s comments: “The amount of work and
detail drew me to this piece. I found the juxtaposition
of the mirrored reflections of the historic buildings
lining the street very interesting. One can also compare the reflection to a window looking back in time to
what once was. The colors are very vivid and striking.
Sometimes there is little emotion in photorealism, but
this painting for me is about the reflection and the
statement of the past and modern civilization.”
Mr. Bignell’s painting, “Jim at Content Farm”, was
included in the Allied Artists’ Professional League’s
On-Line Portraits for Members Only, and this received
an award and the notation “Content/Composition”.
Joy Beckner, MO completed two new sculpture – a life
sized Golden and a life sized miniature-smooth dachshund. Her work and monthly newsletters are on her
website: www.joybeckner.com
Edwin Broussard, NJ won the HVAA Award for his
oil painting “1906 Mandolin” in the Ridgewood Art
Institute’s 2016 Tri-State Art Exhibition.
Deborah Dendler, MA held a solo exhibition, “Deborah Dendler Sculpture and Drawings,” at the Acton
Memorial Library, Acton, MA; the show consisted of
over forty bronze, epoxy bronze, porcelain and terrcotta sculptures and reliefs, as well as portrait and figure
drawings, most of which have never before been exhibited. Additionally, Ms. Dendler had two terra-cotta
sculptures published in the Fall 2015 Issue 3 of Duende, the national literary journal of Goddard College,
Plainfield, VT. Her website is:
www.deborahdendler.com
Kathy Detrano, FL was recently notified that she has
been granted Signature membership from the Pastel
Society of the West Coast. She also holds Signature
status with the Pastel Society of Tampa Bay and the
Pastel Society of America. She is the former President
of Pastel Society of Tampa Bay and is now a member of
the Board of Governors of the Pastel Society of America.
Joseph Fama, NY had his oil paintings accepted into
several national art exhibitions including: “Evening
Show” in the 115th Annual Juried Art Exhibition at the
Creative Arts Center in New Haven, CT in May/June;
“Sunset” in the Wildscapes Art Exhibition at the Bennington Art Center in Bennington, VT in June/July;
and “Barn-Summer” in the 25th.Anniversary Juried
Art Show held at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center,
Breckenridge, TX July through September 3rd. Mr.
Fama’s website is: www.rhythminpainting.com
Nanci France-Vaz, NJ is a finalist in the OPA Eastern
Regional Show at the Eisele Gallery in Cincinnati, OH
for her painting of Burton Silverman called “Work in
Progress, Homage to Burton Silverman.” It was also
selected in the top favorite 15% for Bold Brush Painting contest.
Her painting “Prayers for The Ghetto” was selected as a
finalist for the Allied Artists of America 103rd Annual
Exhibit at the Salmagundi Club in September.
Ms. France-Vaz has started her own atelier called the
Two River Atelier, a studio of Contemporary Realist
Art located in her home in Atlantic Highlands. It is
semi private study. The atelier was featured in the July
edition of X.It Artzine Magazine put out by the Monmouth Arts Council. The program combines classical
methods with contemporary tools and techniques of
the 21st century.
Judi Gilden, NJ received the Genevieve Cain Award
for Watercolor at the National Arts Club 117th Exhibiting Artist Members Exhibition, The National Arts
Club, NY. She participated in the National Association
of Women Artists, Inc., 127th Annual Members’ Exhibition, and the Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Art Gallery, 417
Lafayette Street, NY, NY. Her painting, “Sunlight on
the Vine” was juried into the Allied Artists of America, Inc., 103rd Annual Exhibition, held at the Salmagundi Club. Ms. Gilden was juried into “Rise Up!” at
the Mansion at Strathmore, Bethesda, MD, and into
“Women Artists Coast to Coast – West,” Washington
State Convention Center, Seattle, WA, both NAWA
Exhibits.
Laurie Harden, NJ is holding a joint an exhibition of
her work entitled ”A Celebration of Life”, at the Livingston Gallery through the end of September. She
will be exhibiting over 30 representative pieces in oils
and pastels covering figurative, animal and landscapes.
Her website: www.laurieharden-us.com
Joan Lane, NY had two woodcut prints accepted into
the traveling exhibition “Horizons for the Center for
Contemporary Printmaking.” The exhibition premiered at Cork Printmakers at the Wandesford Quey
Gallery in Cork, Ireland in February and then traveled
to Odense, Denmark. In addition, her work was accepted into several exhibitions including the Connecticut Academy of Fine Art Annual Exhibition in Mystic,
CT, the Green Mountain Watercolor 5th Annual Exhibition in Waitsfield, VT, and the North East Watercolor
Society Annual Exhibition and Members Shows.
Georgene McGonagle, CO, won Best of Show at Art
Alliance’s 21st Arts in Harmony, Elk River, MN, and
was awarded First Place Sculpture at Sculpture Tour
Salina, an outdoor exhibit of sculpture. In August,
2016 she exhibited for her 14th year, in the 33rd Annual Sculpture in the Park show, Loveland, Colorado, and
in the FOPAS – Friends of the Denver Art Museum –
Biennial Art Exhibition. This fall, she will show in the
annual member show and national juried exhibition
of American Women Artists, Bennington, VT, and
the 46th National Exhibition of Women Artists of the
West, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX.
Eve Miller, SC received several awards for her pastel paintings including the following: Best in Show,
Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Member Show 2016; 2016
Southeastern Pastel Society 17th International Exhibition Merit Award; 2016 Artist Magazine Annual
Competition Finalist. Her work juried into the 2016
Pastel Society of America Annual Exhibition: Enduring Brilliance, and juried into The Connecticut Pastel
Society 23rd Renaissance in Pastel. Her website: www.
evemillerfineart.com
Ann Pember, NY released her newest digital book,
Discover Your Inner Inspiration; it is offered in PDF
format on a CD, or as a download on her website:
www.annpember.com. Ms. Pember is featured in the
June/July 2016 issue of International Artist Magazine
#109 as a finalist in the Challenge #93, Florals & Gardens, for which she won the Third Award. The award is
a Feature Article published in the July issue of
American Art Collector Magazine. Ms. Pember had
paintings selected for several national exhibitions including the Illinois Watercolor Society 32nd National
Exhibition in May; CLWAC Members’ Annual Show,
Salmagundi Club, NYC May/June; Watercolor Society
Of Alabama 75th National May/June;
Pennsylvania Watercolor Society 37th international
in July/August; the Allied Artists Annual, Salmagundi
Club, NYC in September and the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society 70th Annual, PA, September. She taught a
watercolor workshop in July 2016 in the Adirondacks
and was a featured artist at the Adirondack Art Association Gallery in Essex, NY in July.
Donna Rossetti-Bailey, MA, has had work accepted
into five juried exhibits and has won two recent First
Place Awards for her soft pastel paintings. “Tree Line
at Sunset” was judged First Place in Pastel and also
sold at the South Shore Arts Festival Juried Exhibit in
Cohasset, MA and “Autumn Glow” was awarded First
Prize in Pastel at the Cape Cod Art Association juried
The National 2016 Open Juried Exhibit in Barnstable,
MA. “River Memory” won Third Prize for Pastel in the
2016 Scituate Arts Association Juried Art & Sculpture
Show. Three of her pastels have been accepted into the
upcoming exhibit, Contemporary Pastel:
Cape Cod Landscapes, at the Cahoon Museum of
American Art in Cotuit, MA, which runs through October 2, 2016. Also, three other pastels were accepted
into the North River Arts Festival 2016 Juried Exhibit,
held in Marshfield Hills, MA.
Ms. Rossetti-Bailey will continue to teach pastel painting classes resuming in September at South Shore Art
Center, Cohasset, MA and North River Arts Society,
Marshfield Hills, MA. For further information contact
Donna at [email protected]. She has been invited
to be a Juror of Acceptance and Awards at the Plymouth Center for the Arts 49th Annual Juried Art Show
which will take place in late September at the Plymouth Guild, Plymouth, MA. Her website:
www.DonnaRossetti-Bailey.com
Rosie Sandifer, NM exhibited her work extensively in
national exhibitions including:
Art on the Llano Estacado, Museum Texas Tech
University, Lubbock, TX in May; PAAC 20th Annual
National Juried Show, Mary Williams Fine Arts-Boulder, CO, September 2016; PAPNM Plein Air Festival,
Santa Fe, NM, June; California Art Club, Reflections in
Water, Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art, Moraga,
CA, June-August; San Juan Skyway Paint Out, Mesa
Verde Foundation, June; Rim to Ruins Art Show, Saks
Gallery, Denver, CO, upcoming in November 2016.
Her website: www.rosiesandifer.com
Barry Shiff, NJ received Best Oil Painting award for
“Constitution and Guerriere” at Fort Lee, Community
Center, and Best Watercolor for “USF Constitution” at
the Fort Lee Winter Festival. He exhibited his paintings
at the Township of Washington Library (March), and
the Presbyterian Church at Franklin Lakes (April).
Barbara Silbert, NY received the Annual Terri Shkuda
Award for Broadening Creative Pursuits from The Art
Guild at Elderfields, Manhasset, NY. She also won an
Award of Merit for a pastel portrait at the Suburban
Art League Open Show, in Woodbury, NY in June.
Ms. Silbert is the Membership Chairperson for the
Manhasset Art Association.
Kathleen Curran Smits, CT landscape oil painting
“Hammonasset Morraine” was accepted into the Pandion Gallery on Fishers Island, NY this summer. Her
work “Along the Water’s Edge”, another landscape in oil
sold in August. She was invited to show in two venues
this year as part of a group show entitled “Five Voices”
at the Art League of New Britain in June, and a show at
the Hospital for Special Care in September. Ms. Smits
continues her work as a media arts adjunct faculty
at Manchester Community College in CT as well as
Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network Learning
Lab’s Institute for Advanced Media. She finished her
14th year as the director of A Summer Arts Program
in Wallingford CT, a summer art/music/theater/dance
camp for elementary school children.
In addition to teaching, Kathleen continues to work
on commissions; next up is a formal portrait in oils.
This year she completed a commissioned series of five
small landscapes of views of Fishers Island. Her travels
around New England inspire her own work and she is
now working on landscapes of New Hampshire, Maine
and Connecticut.
Annie Strack, PA recently demonstrated oil painting
en plein air for the John James Audubon center at
Audubon, PA; acrylic painting techniques for Plaza
Art Store in Rockville, MD; watercolor painting for the
Gloucester County Art League in NJ; plein air painting
demonstrations in both oils and watercolor for Brandywine Valley Plein Air Festival in DE, and watercolor
painting at the Annual Meeting of the Philadelphia
Watercolor Society in PA.
Barbara Walker, NC painting, “Kaaterskill Eluvies”
has been selected for the 11th International Guild of
Realism juried show in Gallery 1261 in Denver, CO
which runs from through September 17. The painting
has been selected to be featured in the September issue
of American Art Collector.
Mike Walsh, NY a watercolor and oil painter, has just
completed his first novel, a “mystery/thriller” trilogy.
“Seance” is published by Indigoseapress.com and will
be followed by “Slain” and “Dreams.”
Barbara Kitty Williams, TN has been named a Member of Excellence (Signature Member) of the Southeastern Pastel Society. Her entry of “Buttercup” was
accepted in the 2016 SPS International Exhibition at
the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art in Atlanta. She has also had five works accepted for inclusion
in publication by Nature Inspired Anthologies in the
book Nature Inspired: Animals. The book is available
online and from Amazon. Ms. Williams was inducted
into the National Association of Women Artists as a
Signature Member in the fall of 2015.
Leila Yassami, NY had her still life painting accepted
in the Meritorious entry for the Richeson 75 Still Life
and Flora 2016 competition and printed in the publication.
OTHER NEWS
The Pascack Art Association will be holding its 4th
Tri-State Juried Exhibition September 17 – 30, 2016
at the Ridgewood Art Institute, 12 E. Glen Avenue,
Ridgewood NJ. The reception will be held on Sunday,
September 25th, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. All are welcome
to attend.
DATES TO REMEMBER
88th Grand National Juried Exhibiton
November 7th - 18th, 2016
Deadline for Entries: Saturday, September 24, 2016
Reception - Sunday, November 13th, 1 - 5 pm
@ Salmagundi Club
47 Fifth Avenue
NYC, NY 100003
For more information visit our website @ www.aaplinc.org
Call for newsletter info!
All information should be typed in narrative form or as a list and submitted via
email.
Include all awards, solo shows, published
works and other outstanding accomplishments.
Please do not send multiple letters of your
achievements, show announcements or
postcards!!
We want to include as many Members &
Associates as possible, so please keep your
news to the important facts. Group shows
will be listed as space permits. All items
for AAPL newsletter should be emailed to:
[email protected]
American Artist Professional League, Inc
47 Fifth Avenue
NYC, NY 10003
(212) 645-1345
Email: [email protected]